{"id":20733,"date":"2016-05-01T17:15:58","date_gmt":"2016-05-01T21:15:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/therockysafari.com\/?p=20733"},"modified":"2023-09-29T11:49:25","modified_gmt":"2023-09-29T15:49:25","slug":"to-love-a-foreign-exchange-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.therockysafari.com\/2016\/05\/01\/to-love-a-foreign-exchange-student\/","title":{"rendered":"I Wish His Exchange Program Never Had to End"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Eight months ago, I met my boyfriend: an exchange student from Spain. It was the start of our junior year at Rutgers University and it was his first time ever visiting the United States. We met early on in the fall semester, during the first week of classes, while we were both still settling into our new homes. He was adjusting to life in a whole new country while I was becoming acclimated with life as a Resident Assistant in an all-freshman dormitory.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-20758 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.therockysafari.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/img_6954-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"705\" height=\"529\" srcset=\"\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1024,height=768,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/img_6954.jpg 1024w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=300,height=225,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/img_6954.jpg 300w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=768,height=576,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/img_6954.jpg 768w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1536,height=1152,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/img_6954.jpg 1536w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=2048,height=1536,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/img_6954.jpg 2048w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=284,height=213,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/img_6954.jpg 284w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=290,height=218,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/img_6954.jpg 290w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=407,height=305,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/img_6954.jpg 407w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1220,height=915,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/img_6954.jpg 1220w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 705px) 100vw, 705px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Our first few dates together were\u00a0super casual. We got pizza one day and watched <em>Sharknado<\/em> the next.\u00a0Ultimately, it did not matter how we spent our time together. I quickly realized I was with someone who I really liked being with. A lot.\u00a0Captivated by his sweet personality, overlapping\u00a0interests, and\u00a0curiosity about life,\u00a0I instantly recognized that I had\u00a0met\u00a0a truly remarkable person.<\/p>\n<p>A\u00a0conversation about <a href=\"https:\/\/therockysafari.com\/2015\/10\/27\/would-you-date-someone-from-another-country\/\">how the two of us should proceed<\/a> soon followed. We were cautious in our approach to starting a relationship. Could I date someone from another country? I tried to imagine how it would feel to fall in love with a foreign exchange student only to be torn apart in a few month&#8217;s time. How tragic! But what could we do? I couldn&#8217;t rationalize walking away from someone so lovable. There was undeniable chemistry between the two of us. Positive energy I didn&#8217;t want to pass up.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-20682 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.therockysafari.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/13041177_10206173387116945_2705936584799197878_o-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"705\" height=\"469\" srcset=\"\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1024,height=681,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/13041177_10206173387116945_2705936584799197878_o.jpg 1024w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=300,height=199,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/13041177_10206173387116945_2705936584799197878_o.jpg 300w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=768,height=510,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/13041177_10206173387116945_2705936584799197878_o.jpg 768w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1536,height=1021,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/13041177_10206173387116945_2705936584799197878_o.jpg 1536w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=284,height=189,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/13041177_10206173387116945_2705936584799197878_o.jpg 284w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=290,height=193,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/13041177_10206173387116945_2705936584799197878_o.jpg 290w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=407,height=270,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/13041177_10206173387116945_2705936584799197878_o.jpg 407w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1220,height=811,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/13041177_10206173387116945_2705936584799197878_o.jpg 1220w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=2048,height=1361,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/13041177_10206173387116945_2705936584799197878_o.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 705px) 100vw, 705px\" \/>My boyfriend has had an immense impact on me this past year. Over the last eight months together, we became closer than I had ever thought possible. I fell in love with everything about him. Everything he stands for. Everything he was and is. A world traveler, a successful student, a handsome man, a passionate and loving boyfriend. I admire his qualities and trust his judgment.<\/p>\n<p>Getting to know Jorge\u00a0has been one of the most meaningful journeys I have ever embarked on. Prior to our relationship,\u00a0I knew almost nothing about Spain. Uncovering each other&#8217;s\u00a0cultures has helped bring us closer together; a twist in our relationship&#8217;s dynamic that gave us room for self-growth and discovery. We\u00a0went on so many day trips between our visits to the <a href=\"https:\/\/therockysafari.com\/2015\/10\/21\/my-date-at-the-jack-o-lantern-blaze\/\">Jack O&#8217;Lantern Blaze<\/a>, our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/therockysafari.com\/2016\/02\/22\/enjoying-a-dinner-cruise-along-the-new-york-city-skyline\/\">NYC Dinner Cruise<\/a>, and the trip to the <a href=\"https:\/\/therockysafari.com\/2016\/04\/24\/our-trip-to-the-brooklyn-botanical-garden\/\">Brooklyn Botanic Garden<\/a>, as well as to many other places I&#8217;ve never written about. From late-night trips to the diner together to stressing over exams\/assignments with one another, the support and camaraderie we&#8217;ve built together is something that is hard to even describe.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-20824 size-large\" style=\"margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 30px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.therockysafari.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-dec-29-5-10-37-pm-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"705\" height=\"940\" srcset=\"\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=768,height=1024,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-dec-29-5-10-37-pm.jpg 768w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=225,height=300,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-dec-29-5-10-37-pm.jpg 225w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=290,height=387,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-dec-29-5-10-37-pm.jpg 290w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=407,height=543,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-dec-29-5-10-37-pm.jpg 407w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=800,height=1067,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-dec-29-5-10-37-pm.jpg 800w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=512,height=683,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-dec-29-5-10-37-pm.jpg 512w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=960,height=1280,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-dec-29-5-10-37-pm.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 705px) 100vw, 705px\" \/>The semester is winding down now with only ONE day remaining. <strong>Tomorrow<\/strong>. After that, our exam period will begin and run until May 11th. At that point,\u00a0residence halls will officially close and all students will be expected to move out. The emotions in my head are running rampant. It&#8217;s so bizarre to build a feeling of\u00a0home,\u00a0happiness, and\u00a0security only to later be faced with\u00a0a\u00a0logistical\u00a0&#8220;expiration date,&#8221; that radically changes\u00a0the very life we&#8217;ve\u00a0grown so comfortable with.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m so grateful that my boyfriend was hired by the university to do research here over the summer because the thought of having to say goodbye to him right now honestly makes me sick. At least now, our time together gets extended just a few months longer. Since my residence hall is not being reopened next year, when\u00a0I close and lock my door, it&#8217;s locked for good. It just feels like I&#8217;m leaving behind so much when this semester ends. It pains me to know I couldn&#8217;t\u00a0even come back to visit our old room\u00a0if I wanted to. I suck at goodbyes and never before have I\u00a0had to deal with one of this nature.<\/p>\n<p>I always thought\u00a0I&#8217;d be an emotional mess by\u00a0this point in the\u00a0semester. The extra cushion of time this summer eases much of the\u00a0thoughts and feelings of anxiety I knew I&#8217;d start to experience right around now. Even with the added time, nothing changes\u00a0the fact that my junior year is basically over. My boyfriend&#8217;s\u00a0exchange year is <strong>ending<\/strong>. We still have a little time left\u00a0together which I&#8217;m so eternally grateful for but part of me is saddened by\u00a0the thought that many of the ways we previously spent our time together may never happen\u00a0again. I will miss attending lectures\u00a0together, grabbing dinner\u00a0in the dining halls, motivating one another\u00a0at the gym, and\u00a0hanging out in my\u00a0dorm room.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-20826 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.therockysafari.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-feb-01-8-26-36-pm-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"705\" height=\"705\" srcset=\"\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1024,height=1024,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-feb-01-8-26-36-pm.jpg 1024w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=300,height=300,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-feb-01-8-26-36-pm.jpg 300w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=150,height=150,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-feb-01-8-26-36-pm.jpg 150w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=768,height=768,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-feb-01-8-26-36-pm.jpg 768w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1536,height=1536,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-feb-01-8-26-36-pm.jpg 1536w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=290,height=290,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-feb-01-8-26-36-pm.jpg 290w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=407,height=407,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-feb-01-8-26-36-pm.jpg 407w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=800,height=800,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-feb-01-8-26-36-pm.jpg 800w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=512,height=512,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-feb-01-8-26-36-pm.jpg 512w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1220,height=1220,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-feb-01-8-26-36-pm.jpg 1220w, \/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1600,height=1600,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/photo-feb-01-8-26-36-pm.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 705px) 100vw, 705px\" \/>I do not\u00a0know what to expect. I have no idea. Whatever will\u00a0happen next is something that only time will reveal. For now,\u00a0I will focus on enjoying every last second\u00a0of the time we have left together this summer. There was\u00a0something very special about this academic year that I will miss. Memories I will cherish and look back fondly upon. I owe so much to Rutgers, to the exchange program, and to Jorge. For making\u00a0this year the incredible one that it was.<\/p>\n<p>&lt;3<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eight months ago, I met my boyfriend: an exchange student from Spain. It was the start of our junior year &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20758,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5512],"tags":[5922,1828,2801,3982],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>I Wish His Exchange Program Never Had to End | The Rocky Safari<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.therockysafari.com\/2016\/05\/01\/to-love-a-foreign-exchange-student\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"I Wish His Exchange Program Never Had to End | The Rocky Safari\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Eight months ago, I met my boyfriend: an exchange student from Spain. It was the start of our junior year &hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.therockysafari.com\/2016\/05\/01\/to-love-a-foreign-exchange-student\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Rocky Safari\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/therockysafari\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-05-01T21:15:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-09-29T15:49:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.therockysafari.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/img_6954-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rocky Trifari\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@therockysafari\" 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